"Luca....Enough, it's out of syllabus" Xavier said, taking a deliberate sip of his liquor, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes at Lucas's persistence.
Emmy chuckled and poured a shot to Zara. She took her first shot, raising the glass. "This for Emmy," Zara declared, downing the strong liquor in one go. Others made "Cheers, Zara...." they cheered.
"You look stunning," Lucas repeated, his gaze still lingering, making Zara subtly shift uncomfortably.
"What is your IG?" another friend Max slurred from his sprawled position on the sofa,
"Come on, guys, you're making her uncomfortable. Look at her," Xavier interjected, a protective undertone in his voice, "How could someone that beautiful be single?"
Nearby, Emmy coughed pointedly after hearing "beautiful," her grip tightening on her glass, a hint of possessiveness flickering in her eyes.
Xavier's eyes shifted to Emmy, "I mean.... she is not..." Before he finished his sentence, Everyone nodded and stood from the sofa, their legs stumbled in a hangover "Okay, Xavier. We are heading out. " Patrick slurred, grabbing the drunken Lucas as he guided him towards the entrance. Before leaving they offered quick goodbyes to Emmy and Zara.
Zara was confused, her eyes scanning them leaving, "Why they left soon" she asked.
Emmy's smirk replaced her lips as she poured drinks to Zara, "You are late darling. They have waited for nearly 2 hours." she said and drank a strong liquor.
"They are funny," Zara commented as squeezed her eyes and clenched her nose in bitterness. "It's too strong, Emmy." She placed a glass on the table, her vision started to blur. A continuous vibration of messages pops up on her phone drawing her attention, her hands trembling, and clicks the text, "Zara, I need to talk to you" "Please, just say something" The message continues, "AH!!!!" she shouts and throws her phone on the table.
"Who's that?" Emmy asked, holding a bottle loosely, her eyes half-closed.
"My problem," Zara said, Zara said, her voice tight with a mixture of anger and annoyance.
Emmy chuckled, a low, knowing sound. "I think you must talk about his shit, otherwise he never gonna leave you alone."
Emmy... "She murmured.
"Um..." Emmy mumbled, her head lolling on the sticky tabletop.
Zara placed her hands on her belly feeling a wave of nausea. "I need to go washroom," she said her voice slightly unsteady. Pushing herself up from the plush sofa, her legs trembled beneath her. She clutched her small handbag grabbed her phone moved towards the washroom.
As she reached it, the washroom odor smell made her uncomfortable, her stomach lurched again. She hurried into an empty stall, sat down and she was throwing up.
Then, she stood up and rinsed her mouth at the tap, the cool water a temporary relief. "Now better," she murmured to her pale reflection, adjusting her dress correctly and hair. she emerged from the washroom, and she moves like a zombie.
She stood near the dancing stage on the floor, watching around, some of them were dancing on stage. She clutched a glass pillar for support. Her eyelids were half-closed with blurred vision.
The big veiny hands from behind her wrapped around her waist gently. Zara could feel the mild scent as she knew the scent. His breathing air can feel her skin, triggering a shiver that ran down her spine. "Zara...." a deep, husky voice whispered behind her ear.
Zara didn't react, still feeling drowsy, "A-nae..." he said, and he gently pressed a soft kiss on her back neck.
A breath caught in her throat "Yeobo..." the word slipped out before she could stop it. What the hell is that? A sudden throb of pain shot through her head, and she pressed a hand to her temple, as her mind flashed to her past.
"A-nae..." Min-Ju's voiced echoed on her ears, his arms wrapped around her, the mild rose fragrance of him.
Zara takes his hand from her waist. "Go, away," she said, her voice filled with anger. "You are not a responsibility man"
"I'm sorry, Zara, I promise, I never make you wait again," he pleaded, he reached his hand towards her waist to try to pull her back. Grabbed her waist and lifted her to the table he started kissing her neck and slowly moved to her lips and both of them ate each other with a kiss. Suddenly she back to reality.
No hands were on her, but still felt the warm rose scent lingering in the air, her eyes searched him through the group of people. What the fu*k was that, are those my past memories or I am dreaming? She wondered as her eyes pointed to the hoodie person, who walked speedily hiding his face in a hoodie and mask, he walked towards the entrance. She just followed him back "Hey, wait..." Her eyes fixed on the hoodie person as she went near the glass door entrance, her left hand dragged by a young man on her left side.
Zara turned as his hand dragged forced, her eyes narrowed, "Adam" she said. Her gaze shifted from his cleaved black shirt to his hunter's eyes. What the hell he is doing here? She wondered.
"Zara....What are you doing here?" Adam asked as his eyes fixed on her.
Zara sighed, rolled her eyes away, and pulled her hand from his grasp, a small smirk replaced, "Why do you care? Do I need to inform you about everything I do?" she retorted, her voice laced with irritation.
A knowing smirk played on Adam's lips, realized the truth, "You sneaked out again. Why even are you making your life a risk?" Adam asked, his voice dropped and laced with care. His phone popped with a message sound in his hand.
Zara's eyes drifted to his hand and moved to his eyes, a wave of disappointment washing over her. "You're tracking me again," she said. "Stop this nonsense, Adam."
"I am not. This is just a coincidence we met," he said, his voice more like pleading.
"Coincidence... "Zara's brows arched in disbelief. "Don't act as if you care about me."
Adam sighed, "I have no idea, what are you even talking about. Why do I have to track you? " He paused, "You are acting weird nowadays. I care for you as much you never cared for yourself."
"You do more shitter things than this," she retorted, a bitter edge to her voice.
Adam grabbed her hands, holding them gently. "Zara... if I did something wrong, please tell me. We can solve that but keep distancing yourself and make me question everything," he said, his words genuine and little hurt.
Zara's gaze remained on his face, her mind reeled, Adam and His friend Jade kissing each other in her bed. Zara watched as the doorway kept fresh juice in her hand. As she smirked appeared on her lips thinking of their kiss, and removed his hands from her, raising her brows as she stepped closer no gap in between them. "Nothing.... I just don't like fake care," she said, her voice low and challenging as she turned and walked out of the bar.
Adam let out a frustrated breath, his hands ran over his hair in confusion. "Shit, What the hell is her problem, she has something but she never going to open up," he murmured as he ran outside behind her.
"Why I do fake?"
"I don't know... I just have feelings like that " she said, walking into the parking lot.
"Zara... wait. At least can I drop you " he said, running behind her.
She never stopped, pulled her phone from her small handbag, her finger searched for Emmy's number, and dialed Emmy. Before the call connected, he grabbed her phone and cut off the call. "What the hell is your problem, Adam" she questioned, her voice raising in anger.
"What's my problem? I'm trying to make sure you get home safely!" he pleaded, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and a genuine concern
Zara moved closer and watched his eyes from the bottom." Why do I have to come with you?" she asked, her voice confident.
Adam grabbed her hand, pointing his ring hand holding a diamond ring. "Because we are engaged. We gonna marry next year. Everyone knows about this, except you." he paused, his voice low and in pain. " Please whatever reason you have to hate me. It's fine. Please today get in my car. I can't leave my future wife on the road."